It's been a couple of years since I last tidied up my Linux desktop, and it's become a mess with all sorts of files and apps piled up. I've installed various things from package managers, installer scripts, and binaries, including .rmps, flatpaks, appimages, and docker containers, not to mention a ton of custom scripts and config files. How can I go about cleaning all of this up thoroughly? Is there an automation tool I can use for this, or would it risk breaking my system? Since everything's running smoothly at the moment, should I just ignore this mess and continue using my setup as it is?
4 Answers
The best bet is to manually uninstall what you don't need. You can usually remove things using the same method you used to install them. Just keep track of where you've put stuff and how you've installed it—it can get tricky sometimes!
If all else fails, a complete reinstall of your distro isn't as painful as it sounds! It’s quicker than what you’d deal with on Windows, and you'll start fresh without the clutter. Just back up your important files first!
Honestly, I don't know of any specific automation tool that could handle your situation without messing things up. You might be better off doing a manual clean. For installed software, check /usr/local if you used root for any installations, or look in your home directory for user-specific installations. Be careful with config files, though—sometimes it's safer just to create a new user if things get messy. Also, if you're running out of space, tools like `gdu` can help show you where your largest files are.
Thanks for the tips! I’ll look into `gdu` and see how I can clean up some space.
You might consider using something like `find` in the terminal to search for files you haven't accessed in a while, which can help identify what to remove. But since you've installed so many different types of packages, just proceed with caution to avoid breaking anything!
True, but keeping track can be a hassle, especially after a few years. Maybe I need to start documenting my installs!